The invention relates to a motor vehicle with a device for influencing the viewing direction of the driver. The motor vehicle has systems and devices for detecting hazards and systems and devices for outputting at least one warning of a detected hazard. The motor vehicle further has a display unit for displaying information contents and/or entertainment contents, and this display unit is arranged essentially centrally in the dashboard of the motor vehicle.
The current trend in modern vehicles of making available the possibility of displaying information contents and/or entertainment contents enhances the comfort of the vehicle occupants, but can also distract their attention from the traffic scene. In particular, it allows many modern vehicles to display information contents and/or entertainment contents on a display unit that is disposed more or less in the middle of the instrument panel or, more specifically, the dashboard, and, if desired, slightly tilted towards the driver. Such a display unit is also referred to below as the central information display (CID). Any movement of the driver's eyes to look in the direction of the CID automatically results in the driver no longer looking directly at what is happening on the road in front of him.
Even if a vehicle has means for detecting hazards and means for outputting warnings of detected hazards, it is frequently not sufficiently possible to draw the driver's attention to the traffic situation at the appropriate moment.
The object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle that improves attention control in the event of a hazardous situation.
This and other objects are achieved with a motor vehicle having a device for influencing the viewing direction of the driver, wherein the motor vehicle includes devices for detecting hazards and for outputting at least one warning of a detected hazard, as well as a display unit for displaying information contents and/or entertainment contents, and the display unit is arranged essentially centrally in the dashboard of the motor vehicle. The passenger compartment of the motor vehicle has a lighting device that is suitable for outputting a dynamic light animation and extends essentially from the display unit to the driver's field of vision on the windshield of the motor vehicle. A light animation that constitutes a movement of light in the direction of the driver's field of vision can be output in order to output a warning about a hazard that relates to or could relate to what is happening on the road in front of the motor vehicle.
In the motor vehicle according to the invention, the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle has a lighting device that is suitable for outputting a dynamic light animation and extends essentially from the display unit to the driver's field of vision on the windshield of the motor vehicle. Upon detection of a hazard that relates to or at least could relate to what is happening on the road in front of the motor vehicle, a dynamic light animation that constitutes a movement of light in the direction of the driver's field of vision can be outputted, in order to output a warning about this hazard.
As a result, the driver's eyes are drawn away from the display unit to the traffic scene with the aid of the dynamic light animation. In this context, it is assumed that the driver can survey the traffic situation the best, if his eyes are focused on the so-called driver's field of vision on the windshield of the motor vehicle, i.e. the region of the windshield, through which an imaginary connecting line typically extends between the eyes of the driver and the traffic-related objects located in the foreground or, more specifically, in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lighting device extends at least partially in essence in a line-like manner along an extension line from the display unit to the driver's field of vision; and the light animation is configured in such a way that the depicted movement of light occurs along the extension line. In this case the term “in a line-like manner” is defined as essentially long and narrow. Preferably, the lighting device extends at least partially more or less straight along a straight line of extension. However, the term “in a line-like manner” is not to be construed absolutely in the sense of a straight line, but rather the line can also extend, for example, in a curved fashion, with corners and/or in a serpentine manner.
The lighting device can comprise a row of several light emitting diodes that can be arranged individually along the extension line and can be lit sequentially, in order to contribute to the light animation. Light emitting diodes are very small and can be manufactured in such a way that they have a low installation height, have fast reaction times, and, hence, can be operated in a “flash mode” manner, and require a small amount of energy. Therefore, they lend themselves extremely well to making a row of small light sources, through which a light animation “travels” by means of a sequential illumination of the individual light sources. What is meant by a sequential illumination also includes the case of an illumination that is offset in time and in which two or more adjacent light sources glow simultaneously in a transition period. It goes without saying that the use of other light sources that exhibit the same suitability for implementing the present invention is equivalent to the use of light emitting diodes.
According to a first design variant of the present invention, the lighting device consists of the row of light emitting diodes, i.e. does not comprise any additional light sources; and the light animation consists exclusively of the sequential illumination of the light emitting diodes.
According to a second design variant of the present invention, the lighting device comprises, furthermore, the display unit itself; and in order to show the movement of light, a graphics animation can then be output on the display unit; and this graphics animation comprises a graphics movement that flows into the extension line and is continued by way of the sequential illumination of the light emitting diodes. Then, the driver's eyes are drawn first to the graphics animation, then follow the graphics movement that flows into the extension line and finally follow, guided by the sequential illumination of the light emitting diodes, the extension line.
In this context the graphics movement can comprise, in particular, a compression and/or movement of a screen image, shown beforehand by the display unit, if desired also an edge trimming. The screen image, shown previously by the display unit, is simply “removed” from the driver's view. If the graphics movement runs more or less in the direction of the extension line and flows, from the viewer's point of view, even into the extension line, then the viewer or, more specifically, the driver, may get the impression that the screen image, shown by the display unit, is being literally “absorbed” along the extension line or rather is being drawn into this extension line. Then, the rest of the light animation along the extension line can be perceived by the viewer or more specifically by the driver (even though this perception is no longer based on the graphics, but purely on a light effect, in particular, the sequential illumination of the light emitting diodes) as an additional movement of the “absorbed” screen image along the extension line.
If the motor vehicle has a head-up display, then it may be advantageous, if during and/or after the output of the light animation, an image of the screen image that was shown previously by the display unit is presented at least temporarily by the head-up display. Then the screen image that has “travelled,” as described above, along the extension line actually appears again in the driver's field of vision, or optionally somewhat below the driver's field of vision, in any event in the vicinity thereof. The image in the driver's field of vision can be shown, if desired, with less resolution, less true to detail and/or less color (if desired, also in monochrome), without diminishing the desired effect.
After a defined display period, the display of the head-up display can be hidden again, in order to be able to actually release again the driver's gaze, which is now diverted in the direction of the driver's field of vision, for this field of vision.
If the lighting device comprises a row of several light emitting diodes, which are arranged individually along the extension line and which can be lit up sequentially, then it may be advantageous, if the distance of the individual light emitting diodes to the driver's field of vision increases. On the one hand, the desired “pivoting” of the driver's eyes towards the end of the extension line has already been introduced and does not require any close guidance. On the other hand, the driver's view of the individual light points, which he perceives as being farther away from him, can be brought visually closer together in many cases, if the light emitting diodes are arranged along the surface of the dashboard of the motor vehicle. This applies especially if the dashboard is curved in a convex manner.
From viewpoints relating to, among other things the design and ergonomic operation, it is, furthermore, advantageous to embed the light emitting diodes into the material of the dashboard in such a way that the result is an essentially flat surface of the dashboard. To this end it is possible to use, in particular, light emitting diodes that have a flat design, for example, made according to SMD [surface mounted device] technology and that are inserted, in particular, adhesively cemented, into suitably provided recesses of the dashboard. The insertion can be carried out subsequently or as early as during the fabrication of the dashboard. If a thin and totally or partially transparent material layer is applied over the light emitting diodes, then the result is a homogeneous surface of the dashboard without having to tolerate too great a loss with respect to the visibility of the light of the light emitting diodes.
If the motor vehicle has devices for outputting different warning stages for the warning of a detected hazard, in particular, for outputting an early warning and an acute warning, then the light animation is output preferably exclusively in the case of a low warning stage; if an early warning and an acute warning are available, then only in the case of the early warning.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motor vehicle has a device for detecting the viewing direction of the driver, and the output of the light animation is executed as a function of the detected viewing direction. On the one hand, the output can take place simply and easily, only if the driver's eyes are actually drawn away from what is happening on the road, in particular, when the driver's eyes are focused on a CID of the motor vehicle. On the other hand, the light animation can begin, if desired specifically, at the place, at which the driver's eyes are currently looking. However, on the other hand, the light animation can be configured, if desired, in such a way that the depicted light movement can run at different speeds. Then the light movement could be depicted at such a speed that the driver's eyes could, in fact, also track it. If the driver's eyes fall behind the light movement, this light movement is slowed down, as required. If the driver's eyes move ahead, the light movement is speeded up, as required.
The invention is based, among other things, on the following considerations.
The current state of the art relating to driver assistance systems (FAS) and driver information systems (FIS) has made great strides independently of the manufacturers. For example, the following driver assistance systems are already being offered on the market by leading automobile manufacturers in the area of active safety: collision warning systems, lane change warning systems, lane departure warning systems, night vision including pedestrian warning systems. Furthermore, the following types of FIS are already being offered on the market: navigation system, entertainment (radio, TV, DVD . . . ) systems, telephones, internet, etc.
Even with respect to warning strategies in the event of a risk of a collision, various approaches are known from the prior art. All of the aforementioned FASs have as their goal to warn the inattentive driver of a potential hazard, such as a collision with other traffic participants or a leaving of one's driving lane. In the case of a collision warning system, the distance to the traffic participant driving ahead is detected by way of a radar sensor; and a time to collision (TTC) is computed from the speed differential. Based on this TTC, the result is a time-based warning threshold. At almost all of the leading automobile manufacturers the two stage warning concept has become a standard, before a (partially) autonomous braking action may or may not take place. In a system offered by the applicant, the driver receives an early warning (stage 1—visual cue) in the form of a symbol in the instrument cluster and in the head-up display (HUD) in the event of a critical rear-end collision situation and upon undershooting a first warning threshold. If the driver fails to react and, as a result, a second warning threshold is undershot, an acute warning (stage 2—visual and auditory cues) is sent in the form of a high frequency warning sound and a flashing symbol in the instrument cluster and on the HUD. In addition, in many of the known systems the driver's viewing direction is analyzed by use of a camera in the passenger compartment; and the warning is sent earlier in time when the driver takes his eyes away and in critical situations.
With respect to a display and operating concept (ABK) for a driver information system (FIS), the prior art also discloses a multitude of solutions. The IDrive concept that was originally introduced by the applicant has become the standard in the automobile industry for operating FISs. It is based on a clear separation between the operating elements (in the center console) and display (display in the middle of the instrument cluster). The most important entertainment, communications, navigation and comfort functions can be activated and controlled by way of the IDrive controller.
Based on the current state of the art and the increasing availability of inexpensive high-technology automobile components, it is assumed that the majority of the modern vehicles will have in the future a camera in the passenger compartment that “watches” the driver and that can be employed to analyze the driver's state (fatigue, degree of attentiveness, viewing direction, blinking, etc.). Furthermore, it is most likely that in the very near future the installation of full color HUDs will be possible or even common. Such features will make it possible to display graphics in different colors on the HUD (for example, images that can be shown only with a so-called CID [a central information display] in the middle of the instrument cluster in vehicles with the technology that is currently available on the market).
The warning concepts that are available on the market today still have drawbacks in certain situations. For example, when using an FIS during a trip the driver's eyes typically move back and forth between the CID (central information display) in the passenger compartment and the traffic scene that is located in front of the vehicle (seen through the driver's field of vision in the windshield). In the case of functions (for example, destination input, navigation) that require a relatively long total operating period), the maximum amount of time that the driver's eyes are drawn away from the road lane or more specifically the traffic scene can be relatively long.
A purely visual early warning (for example, in the form of a yellow symbol in the instrument cluster and on the HUD) that is outputted upon undershooting a first warning threshold, cannot be perceived in every practical case, because at this instant the driver's eyes are not focused on the CID. If upon undershooting a second warning threshold an acute warning is outputted in the form of a non-directed auditory output (for example, a gong) and, if desired, combined with a visual warning that is more intensive now (for example, a red flashing symbol in the instrument cluster and on the HUD), the driver perceives, first of all, the spatially non-directed auditory output with a high degree of certainty at least in cases, in which the early warning was not noticed and the driver's eyes were still on the CID. This auditory output can lead to a relatively long processing time or, more specifically, reaction time. In the final end the driver has to interpret first the purely auditory output and then compare with the situation (“What is the reason for the gong”). Therefore, the driver's reaction (braking action) may come too late, thereby increasing the risk of an accident.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.